Z axis soft limits

[Greolt]

Marco

You sent me Ver7

My controller needs Ver8

Thanks

Greolt

[Tech_Marco]

Could I try it out for next week? Im running the latest firmware and laserCad you have released V6.27.

I have V7 version available. What do you have?


Marco

[Telrad]

I think it's 7 but I'll check when I get back to school on Monday to be sure.

[Telrad]

OK, here are the firmware versions I am running:
Main Board: 7.12.09.21
LCD Board: 5.12.02.29

E-mail:
ccorwin AT minisink.com

Thanks for working with me.

[Tech_Marco]

New AutoFocus control is completed. I tested it and it make more sense.

Here is how it work:

1) System power on: the Z table will be moving up till the 'autofocus' sensor probe is triggered. Note, for safety reason, you may want to install one more sensor swtich to the Z bar in case the auto sensor probe failed to hit the target object

2) Once the Z sensor switch triggered, the Z table will stop at "zero" or you can make it downward for a little by changing the Z origin using the LCD unit to configure it.

3) At any time, you can use arror key to move the Z table up and down for loading or unloading object into the laser machine. Once object loaded/unloaded, hit "Autofocus" and the Z table will move up again till sensor switch is trigged.

4)The focus distance is set under "Menu -> Params Options -> FocusDistance. This is the distance the Z table will move downlward once sensor probe is triggered.


Before, the Z up or Z down was impossible. Plus, once the autofocus is press, the Z table must travel down to the bottom, trigger the bottom Z sensor before it will move up again. Now this step is eliminated. Anyone who has AutoFocus with version V.7 are welcome to give a try

Marco

[Greolt]

That sounds good Marco.

As I do not have auto focus, this is the part that interests me,

3) At any time, you can use arror key to move the Z table up and down for loading or unloading object into the laser machine.

It would be good to get some users of auto focus to try it out.

Greolt

[Tech_Marco]

OK, here are the firmware versions I am running:
Main Board: 7.12.09.21
LCD Board: 5.12.02.29

E-mail:
ccorwin AT minisink.com

Thanks for working with me.

I sent you a copy through PM but you seems not opened it yet. Please do so if you acknowledge it

Marco

[Telrad]

Sorry, I haven't looked at the PM. I'll try things out tomorrow when I get to school.

[Greolt]

Thanks to Marco, I have been able to test the latest firmware for table or Z axis operation

Remembering that I DO NOT use Auto Focus nor do I have a limit switch on the table (X axis).

I do not believe I am Robinson Crusoe in this respect. Many AWC608 users have the same.

Unlike X and Y axis, the table does not move in normal operation. Moves relatively slowly. Only moves while button is held down.

These are the reasons that I do not agree with the sentiment expressed by Programmer Li,

"Li said that if you disable the soft limit for Z, then you need to add a hardware limit switch instead."


So bearing in mind that I DO NOT use Auto Focus nor do I have a limit switch on the table (X axis).

Testing of the latest firmware produces the same result as I reported above.

"What I have found to be the difference to previous version is as follows;

The Z axis is set at start up, by default, to middle of the Z axis "Range" as set in "Other Axis Parameters"

So if Z axis range is 50mm then at startup, position will default to 25mm. If range is set to 300mm, then at startup, position will default to 150mm. Etc.

This is in practical terms an improvement but not really what I was hoping for."

As far as alterations to how Auto Focus works, this will need testing by other users who do have Auto Focus.

Thanks,

Greolt

[Tech_Marco]

I'm totally confused....

The Z drive do allow disable of "Home on power on" or have Auto focus disabled. By disable Home on power on, the Z stay idle when power on. The Range is the only way to limit the movement of the Z if without hardware limit switch. By the way, without hardware limit switch, it's dangerous as the Z table can hit the ceiling or the bottom (not recommended).

Something I quite don't understand that is that I can freely move the Z up and dn in all case but you said you can't. I have no idea what else we have to do with this issue. Since the Li already spent a couple day to re-write the Z and the auto focus, he is now questioning what else you need to do or want him to do. If you don't want Auto focus or the home limit switch, then just disable the Autofocus and the Home on Power. Again, the traveling distance is controlled by the Range. I'm sure with the new OS, one can move the Z up and down at any time with or whtout autofocus or limit switch. By the way, it is NOT slow if you have proper setting. I was using a XY stage to simulate the Z table and I could easy move it up and down at 20mm/s, faster than a real Z table can handle.


Marco

[Greolt]

The Range is the only way to limit the movement of the Z if without hardware limit switch. By the way, without hardware limit switch, it's dangerous as the Z table can hit the ceiling or the bottom (not recommended).

By the way, it is NOT slow if you have proper setting. I was using a XY stage to simulate the Z table and I could easy move it up and down at 20mm/s, faster than a real Z table can handle.

The table (Z axis) is slow in comparison to X and Y, ON PURPOSE. It is used to manually focus. If you have it set to jog too fast it makes it difficult to focus.

A limit switch on the table is overkill, the way that I and others use it. There is little or no danger of ramming into the hard stops.

Take your finger off the button and the table stops moving.

Since the Li already spent a couple day to re-write the Z and the auto focus, he is now questioning what else you need to do or want him to do.

As I said as clearly as I could in the beginning of this thread, all that I, and many users need, is a setting to disable (completely ignore) the soft limits on the table (Z axis)

Any users who see the soft limits as necessary for their machine. will be able to select to have them in operation.

Thanks

Greolt

[Tech_Marco]

I though you're complaining slow on 'Z' drive. Sure you don't want to set it as fast as 20mm/s but you can set it to 1mm/s , 2mm/s or 10mm/s any speed, any time through the setting

Currently the new Z control revised and you can freely move the Z bed up and down. Plus, you can turn off AutoFocus or Home on power on. So, what is not working???

I know that you guys didn't like the orginal Z control because the Z only allow moving Up but not Down. So, it's hard to load smaller object for second job or so. Or, it take too long to travel to the bottom each time Auto focus was initiated. Taking too much time if the Z distance was long. But with the new patch, all these issue eliminated. I don't see anything can block you from doing Z movement freely. The Z control now can be used in a Z table with or without hardware limit switch. The "RANGE", why is it so big bother with it? You just need to set it up once as you're not going to change Z table from time to time right? "RANGE" is the settting to allow the max travelling distance.

I'm sorry but I'm really don't get it.


Marco

[Tech_Marco]

Greolt, where did you find the ""Other Axis Parameters". I couldn't find it on LaserCad.
Can you post a screen shot

Attached image is what I have on the setup panel


Thanks

Marco

[Greolt]

Marco

If you look at the picture that you posted in the above post, you will see the smaller of the two windows is called "Other Axis Parameters"

Greolt

[Greolt]

Currently the new Z control revised and you can freely move the Z bed up and down. Plus, you can turn off AutoFocus or Home on power on. So, what is not working???

When there is no auto focus and no limit switch on the table (Z axis);

PREVIOUSLY, after startup or reset, the Z axis would default to zero at its present position. Problem was the user could not lower table. Only raise.

NOW, after startup or reset, the Z axis defaults to the middle of the "Range". If range is 100mm then it defaults to 50 etc.

This NOW allows the user to set a "range" at least twice the actual range of movement and have unrestricted movement, both up and down, after startup or reset.

Example, my range of table movement is approx 300mm. So I set "Range" to 600mm, after reset it defaults to 300. I am free to move 300mm up or down, without the table soft limits getting in my way.

This is a work around but most definitely an improvement.

The feature request that I made (as clearly as my writing skills would allow) was for a check-box to disable Z axis soft limits. This obviously is not going to happen.

The change to table usability as outlined above, is not what I hoped for but is very much an improvement.

Thank you very much Marco for your efforts. Please pass on my thanks to Programmer Li.

Greolt